The Man Inside the Wolf
by AgathokakologicalMe
Summary: What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin? A webcomic Noblesse fanfiction, set around the major battle of the KSA arc. Family, angst, and just a little bit of M-21 Yeonsu. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 1

Sangin Ahn, bloodied and exhausted from his fight with the Cerberus member Ked, swayed dangerously when a hand lightly tapped his shoulder. The KSA agent looked up, shocked to see a man in a suit and black mask next to him. But the mask could not hide the scar slashing the right side of the man's quiet frown- a scar Sangin had seen only an hour or so ago.

"You are-"

"No time, move."

M-21 slipped Sangin's arm across his shoulders and with a powerful leap left the rooftop. Ked's dreadlocks were the color of white-hot rage as he recovered from the electricity jolt in time to see his opponent spirited away by another obviously modified human. "What the- he has friends?!" Ked gathered control of his powerful form and began his pursuit, knowing his size would trump their speed.

"They're gaining on you." The chirp in M-21's ear sounded with Tao's voice. M-21 could feel Sangin's weight dragging at his arm. _I can't speed up_ , he thought.

"Stupid! You think you can get away from me with that speed?!" They could hear Ked laugh as his hulking dark form grew closer. He would easily overpower them if he caught up to the injured agent and his rescuer.

"Just leave..." Sangin's quiet words caught M-21 by surprise- how could the KSA agent believe they would really abandon him to his death? The chirp sounded again, this time directed at Takeo.

"No. 2, assist No. 4." Almost before the words were finished transmitting shots exploded from Takeo's gun. The sounds were louder than any normal human's firearm, and the bullets far more powerful. M-21 silently thanked Frankenstein and Tao for their genius as his pursuer buckled under the sudden barrage.

"There are more?!" He growled in frustration. More bullets hit their mark. "WHERE ARE YOU HIDING?!"

M-21 could just see the shadowy outline of Takeo on a nearby rooftop, next to his huge gun case that rose like an extension of the tower into the night. He knew No. 2 would also be wearing the mask Tao had given all of the members of the RK-4, their special modified-human task force. He quietly readied himself for the attack command he expected, loosening his stance and relinquishing his support of Sangin.

"NOW!" The chirp had become an electric squeal. M-21 barely registered Sangin's surprise as he launched himself up and backward, twisting himself into an attack position midair. Long gray hair streamed into his face as Tao's smug voice returned to chirp levels.

"No. 4, give the big guy a surprise." Ked's head snapped back in confusion as he latched on to M-21's overhead attack- scar stretched into a dangerous grimace and hands transformed into claws. Sangin could only see the dust from the shattered concrete rising in waves to obscure the result of the attack, but as he watched M-21 lightly sprang from the destruction and landed again beside the agent. There was no sign of Ked. Mind racing with calculations on what he knew about the other modified human, Sangin could only voice one thought. "You had that much power?"

M-21 brushed the dust from his jacket- maybe this would be the first fight he would return from without any damage to his suit. He heard Sangin's awed comment. "No time to explain. Keep moving." He turned away, but stopped as Sangin spoke again, his voice quiet with fear- "No way…"

Looking back, he watched as a furious Ked emerged from the rubble with a force that shook the surrounding buildings. _I got him good… am I not strong enough?_

The enemy landed heavily in front of them before they had a chance to run again, his clothes torn from his encounter with M-21, but his rage greater than before.

"Damn," he spat, "What are you? Wearing a mask like that…"

"No. 4, calm down. We expected this. He's Cerberus." Tao reminded him through his earpiece.

"I don't know who you are, but this hurts a bit." Ked continued. "This is getting interesting."

Ignoring him, M-21 spoke to Sangin. "We can't run away from this together."

Ked heard him. "Oh. You thought of running away from me?"

"Get away from here." M-21 commanded.

"But…"

"I told you. There's no time to talk. Get the hell out of the way."

Sangin felt his resolve stiffen as this man he barely knew- this stranger- stood ready to fight and possibly die in a war that wasn't even his own, just to save his life. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

Ked, who had stopped his taunting to listen to the last of the conversation, grinned maliciously and decided his time to attack was long overdue. "Wrong choice!" He shouted, and charged. M-21 jumped reflexively, claws out and ready as he met Ked head on. The Cerberus member turned to face the counterattack, but every time he swung his fist or moved to dodge, a stuttering fleet of bullets would crash into him, changing his movements just enough to give the silver-haired opponent the hint of an advantage.

M-21 ducked the tree-trunk arms and slashed at every opening the bullets provided, but Ked's punches were getting closer to the mark each time. One strike that narrowly missed M-21's shoulder crushed the concrete behind him with a deafening crack. _It'll be bad if I get hit._

"Calm down." Tao must have sensed M-21's growing unease. "If I rush, he can change the whole situation with just one attack. This formation is for you and No. 2 to slowly damage the enemy. The enemy that faces this formation will think Takeo's gun is an ordinary firearm. The special bullets Boss and I made differ for each enemy. But these bullets damage the nerves. The damage will be minor, but it will build if he keeps getting hit." M-21 knew all this, but Tao's explanation somehow re-centered him as he fought. Tao continued. "These kind of attacks drive the enemy crazy."

Tao was right about that, M-21 realized as Ked again cursed his invisible attackers.

"Just like that. If the enemy loses his mind, then we are at an advantage. We combine the damage No. 4 causes on the enemy with the assistance of No. 2's bullets, and the rage lowers the enemy's combat ability."

M-21 smirked, remembering his own skills at provoking the enemy. Just that small action helped, as Ked growled, "How dare you smile!" M-21 easily dodged the resulting attack. _He lost his temper, and his movements got slower_. _Though I have Takeo and Tao's assistance, a failure like me is fighting this kind of guy right now._

More shots forced a punch to swing harmlessly past M-21's head, barely disturbing his curtain of hair, and Ked roared with frustration. Using the opening to his advantage, M-21 landed another hit, which was quickly followed by more bullets pushing him back away from No. 4. M-21 struck again, the momentum from his leap driving Ked down into the destroyed rooftop. The dust exploded upward, and M-21 quickly cleared it and landed on the next roof, and waited to see the result. When visibility was restored, a small mountain of rubble cluttering the top of the building appeared, imprisoning the Cerberus member. Something shifted. M-21 didn't flinch when a chunk of concrete that should have been too large to be moved manually was flung from the pile of debris and crashed heavily a few feet from him. His warrior's eyes were only for his opponent who had just emerged, fully transformed.


	2. Chapter 2

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 2

"Ha ha… This is awkward." Tao's voice was suddenly not directed at the other RK-4 members, and there could only be one explanation. "Tao?" M-21's monosyllabic question was shortened by Takeo's urgent "Tao, you got caught?" M-21 suddenly remembered seeing the short Cerberus member with the long yellow hair who had been watching Ked attack Sangin. Lutai, according to Tao's research.

Tao's voice came back rueful. "I was focusing so hard I forgot about the other one. It's my mistake. He found me sooner than I expected."

Ked had made his way to M-21's rooftop with a shuddering thud. His clothes had torn away to reveal red and black body armor that was probably a mutation of his skin, and his already-menacing fists were red boulders developed to destroy. "You should watch out… this is my true form." But M-21 was more concerned with Tao's next words.

"Friends…I have to cut off all communications."

"What?" Takeo sounded alarmed. "Why would you turn it off?"

"I also have to focus on fighting. And you guys will get distracted if you hear me fight." M-21 knew his friend was right. He would never be able to concentrate on his own fight if he heard only Tao's side of the battle- every strike, every grunt of pain.

"Don't worry about me and focus on fighting the big guy." Tao continued, "I was found sooner than expected, but I was expecting this."

"But still…" Takeo tried.

"I'll see you all later." There was a click, and the line went dead. M-21's eyes were still fixed on his enemy when the attack began. _Here he comes._

But the strike was nothing like what had happened before. Instead of the fist he expected, Ked had released a wave of energy in a direct line M-21 could not avoid. He threw his arms up in defense as it crashed into him. Takeo shot again, but his bullets pinged harmlessly off the armor. Ked snorted at the attempt. M-21 leapt forward, the distraction by No. 2 enough to give him time to recover from Ked's blow. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sangin struggling to close the distance between himself and the fight. _Damn_. Since the KSA agent had refused to leave, M-21 had been trying to direct the fight away to further and further rooftops from the injured man, but he had been keeping up. In close range now, M-21 raised his claws to strike, but with a smile Ked raised his massive fist and slammed it into No. 4's chest.

Metal and rock cracked beneath M-21's back as he was knocked back onto another roof. He lay still a moment to catch his breath, but jerked when gentle footsteps could be heard moving the shattered chunks of window glass across the concrete. Takeo hushed him and knelt down. While the dust settled, they were invisible to their enemy.

"This won't work." Takeo's whisper deepened his voice even further than usual.

"No." M-21 agreed. "You can't help me anymore. But Tao will need your gun."

"I can't just abandon you."

"You are no use to me here." M-21 wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. "I've held my own so far, I can go a while longer. If you two can take down Lutai, come back and help. You and Tao are long-distance fighters- up close you will both need all the help you can give each other to defeat a Cerberus member."

Takeo hesitated, then gave a jerky nod. In a quiet leap he had disappeared from the rooftop, and M-21 picked himself up and rolled up his sleeves. _Damn_. His suit was slashed to ribbons.

When he emerged from the smoke and dust, Ked grinned like a child excited to play with a toy.

"Yeah, that's better…it would be a shame if you died too easily."

M-21 sprang into action, not expecting Takeo and Tao to make it back quickly, and ready to give whatever he had left to fight this bastard. The werewolf heart inside him gave him a healing ability unrivaled by his colleagues, and a speed he utilized now. For every one of Ked's massive blows, M-21 delivered a flurry of strikes and slashes and dodged the heavy punches. Most of his attacks slid harmlessly off the body armor, but one with a desperate lunge behind it resulted in a deep scratch along Ked's arm that dug past the black skin and into his flesh. M-21 felt the barest triumph lift his lips in a taunting smirk when Ked's freshly kindled rage released itself in an uppercut that connected with No. 4's chin. The blow soared M-21 into the air. Now defenseless, M-21 felt Ked make use of his opportunity in a series of hits to his chest that crashed him limply to the roof. Before he could move, Ked brought both feet heavily to his abdomen. M-21 coughed, and blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. Ked released him.

Shakily M-21 made it again to his feet, and as if from a distance he heard his enemy remark, "Impressive! You can still fight back?" One huge red fist cocked back, aiming for a final hit. When Ked stumbled, M-21's head snapped up, attention restored. Sangin had caught up to the fight, and as M-21's defeat seemed imminent, had leaped to attack the giant Cerberus member from behind. Ked, only momentarily caught off guard, swiftly changed targets as Sangin brought his fist down hard on the back of his shoulders. The KSA agent was still bleeding and breathing heavily, and M-21 could see his condition was already dangerously poor without adding more injuries from another fight. His mission- to protect Sangin Ahn- flared inside with new energy, and reminded No. 4 of his purpose tonight. With a roar, M-21 launched himself forward, claws snapping. Ked heard him and brushed him aside with one swipe. Picking himself up again, M-21 latched himself onto Ked's back; but the Cerberus fighter instead continued to center his attacks on Sangin. It made sense- Sangin had been Ked's target from the beginning. The KSA agent's movements were slowing down, and he was barely avoiding the blows as they flew around him. M-21 dealt a cuff to Ked's ear.

"Forget about me?" He yelled, aiming for distraction. Ked didn't even flinch, and drove a powerful fist forward that finally connected, glancing off Sangin's head. The agent collapsed.

"NO!" M-21 launched away and landed neatly in front of Sangin, claws crossed protectively. When he glanced down, he could see his chest still rising and falling, but in shallow, uncertain rhythms.

"One down…" Ked grinned menacingly. M-21 instinctively bared his teeth in defense. In moments he felt himself once more lifted by Ked's fist and sent flying across the roof; scrabbling to his feet, he shot back toward Sangin only to find someone else standing before the fallen agent. Yeonsu Na's blue eyes flashed with pain and hatred as she stared down the Cerberus fighter.

"Ah, just the person I wanted!" Ked laughed, "What do you think of my present for you?"

"You monster!" Yeonsu leaped forward fiercely.

"Oh! Are you modified too? It won't do any good against me, you can ask your husband… Oh wait, you CAN'T!" Ked's face stretched in hilarity, but his humor left him no weaker than before. Yeonsu's attacks meant nothing to him. M-21 quickly retrieved Sangin's limp form from the danger of getting trampled; as he lay him down a little further away, he could feel the strength leaving with every drop of lost blood. With growing dread he returned to the fight. Yeonsu was breathing heavily, the fire leaving her eyes as she remembered to fight smarter and measure her strength- with one glance she took in M-21's condition. Disliking the concern on her face, he straightened his shoulders and looked levelly at their enemy. Ked seemed no worse than from the moment he had transformed, except for the one scratch M-21 had inflicted. Yeonsu's speed was protecting her for now, but M-21 knew she would not be able to keep it up for long- Ked was too strong to be defeated even by the two of them, even if they were in top condition.

"Yeonsu Na!" He shouted to catch her attention. When she backed off the fight and looked at him, he continued. "I assume you have tracked us as far as the Chairman's house?"

She gave a quick nod.

"Take your husband there- he needs medical treatment I doubt even your experimenting doctor can perform, but the Chairman should be able to save him."

Before Yeonsu could reply, Ked cut in angrily.

"You think you can stop me from catching them if they run away from me?!"

M-21 smirked. "Don't you finish anything? You haven't even beaten me yet. Break me, then you'll have earned the right to chase them."

The blow was expected but still devastating. Yeonsu's eyes were wide when she saw M-21 stand up once more, then leap to attack their lurking enemy.

"GO, NOW!"

A minute later when the blows slowed enough for M-21 to look around, he saw the two KSA agents had disappeared.

His sense of urgency wasn't diminished by the relief he felt by their escape. If he couldn't hold Ked off until Takeo and Tao came back, he would not only catch and kill Sangin and Yeonsu, but they would lead him straight to the Chairman's home… and Rai. M-21 had no doubt Frankenstein and Rai could defeat him, but probably not before Rai shortened his life considerably by using his power. He had to prevent that- he had to protect his home and those in it.

N0.4 held his ground against Ked's fierce punches for much longer than he expected; his werewolf heart healed him continuously, just enough to keep him standing- and talking. When another levelling blow left him swaying where he stood, M-21 was dredging his body for any remaining strength when his enemy was thrown backward with a bang.

"Regis."

Neatly the young noble landed beside his partner, mask proudly in place.

"Sorry I'm late."

A tired smile crossed M-21's face as he replied, "As long as you knew."


	3. Chapter 3

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Sorry it's kind of a short chapter this week, but there will be more to come!

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 3

M-21 struggled through layers of exhaustion like an endless sea of blankets that blinded him and muffled the sounds of the world he knew existed somewhere. Brief moments of consciousness were marked by familiar voices and the odd face whenever he could summon the energy to lift leaden eyelids. Frankenstein. Takeo. Tao. Sierra. The absence of Rai's face soothed him, because it meant the Noblesse would not waste his precious life force on awakening him. Once he thought he saw Sangin Ahn on the bed next to his, with Yeonsu standing a little past him, but later the bed was empty. M-21 blinked. He could look at the empty bed next to him without it disappearing in a wave of blackness. Yeonsu still stood at the window beyond it, staring out into daylight. M-21 tried to lift his head, but dropped it with a low moan as pain drove his eyes shut once more.

"It's about time you've woken up." Regis sniffed. M-21 cracked an eye, and found the white-haired noble sitting neatly on his other side, legs crossed elegantly. M-21 didn't answer for a moment, and Regis gave him time to collect his thoughts.

"How are you feeling?" The question was awkward in its regularity, as if Regis felt uncomfortable expressing concern for a human. A modified human. M-21 took a deep breath.

"Okay, I think." He could feel where his body had broken and been mended, like a piece of cheap ceramic that had been glued back together, but the pain was distant like a fading memory. Yeonsu had turned at his voice, and watched quietly from her place across the room. Yeonsu. And Regis. M-21 tried to clear his head, tried to force his mind to tell him what had happened to his body. They had both been…with him, but he wasn't sure why.

"What…happened?" M-21 hated the weakness in the question, hated having to ask.

"How much do you remember?"

Pain. Red fists. Bullets. Tao's voice in his ear. "Takeo and Tao. We were fighting…"

"You were fighting Ked, a member of Cerberus, and later Rodin showed up, though he mostly concentrated on me."

"How are they?"

"Takeo and Tao? They have their share of battle scars, but they recovered a lot faster than you."

Slowly memory drifted into place like shriveled ashes reforming the burnt paper. Ked. He remembered Regis showing up, and fighting Rodin.

" _You going to be okay?"M-21 didn't miss the concern in No.3's eyes._

" _Of course."_

" _You should rest a little."_

" _I can still move. I won't stay back." His mission wasn't finished yet._

M-21 remembered the final blow he had struck Ked with, and saw again the monster of a modified human crash to the ground, defeated. It was only then he had allowed his tired body to black out. His mission. Sangin Ahn. M-21 glanced back over to the empty bed next to him, and enquired next about the KSA agent.

Regis seemed to consider his words before answering. "Sangin's injuries were extensive; Frankenstein did all he could, but I'm afraid he couldn't save him."

Sangin was dead? M-21 felt as if Ked's massive fist had connected with his chest. He had failed- the man he was charged to protect had died. Worse, he was alive to learn of it. What honor was there in that? Remembering Yeonsu suddenly, M-21 looked up, but she had disappeared sometime when Regis was talking. How must she be feeling? Her colleague was dead. A deep, familiar ache sounded again as M-24's face surfaced in his thoughts; but this was different. Sangin had also been her husband. They were separated because he had failed- a source-less, angry whisper wished their places switched. His own death could never cause someone so much pain, and if he had acted properly, a loving couple would still be together.

Regis sensed his friend's need to be alone, and without another word he stood up and went to inform Frankenstein of the new developments, leaving M-21 to share Yeonsu's grief and remember M-24.


	4. Chapter 4

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Sorry it's kind of a short chapter this week, but there will be more to come!

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 4

Disturbing thoughts were pushed aside a few hours later as M-21 received more exuberant visitors than before. Takeo and Tao, fully recovered, animatedly described the more interesting parts of the battle after he had defeated Ked and fallen unconscious, Takeo leaning against the next bed, and Tao acting out all the parts he could to the entertainment of his friends and the grief of Frankenstein, who had come in for a quick checkup. M-21 was eased into a sitting position, and as the soft sheets pooled around his middle, baring his chest, Frankenstein worked efficiently around him, checking bandages and prodding muscles, and taking a constant stream of notes on his clipboard.

"I'm not kidding! The twelfth elder turned into a big bat! I don't know where they get these ideas. I can just see them in the lab designing experiments for themselves, thinking, 'I'm gonna transform myself into a huge bat, and it's gonna be _kick-butt_!'" M-21 smiled, amused at his colleague's chatter. Tao flopped casually onto the bed, earning a scalding look from Frankenstein.

"And when the Boss and Rai got there, Boss got all crazy with his Dark Spear, and 'accidentally' killed Ked, which was awesome!" Even Frankenstein tried to hide a small smile behind his notes at that part of the story. While Tao launched into an account of Rai's stunning finale, Frankenstein quietly remarked again at M-21's exceptional healing abilities.

"I do believe that in a day or so you will be up and about, and back to yourself within a week. Impressive, even for you. This battle could easily have been your last- I would venture to say it almost was. Your heart is integrating more fully into your body, and the results are groundbreaking." As Frankenstein finished and slipped out into the hallway he passed Yeonsu Na coming in- her gaze settled first on M-21 upright in bed, then on the rapidly healing scars and injuries spread across his bare torso and shoulders. She stopped, shocked that the werewolf had survived such heavy damage; until that moment she had been aware of his condition, but actually seeing the wounds reminded her how close he had come to death.

When M-21 caught her expression, he stilled. Was that pain in her glance? Revulsion when she looked at him? She must blame him for her husband's death, and M-21 silently accepted the blame. Tao had quieted when he noticed the KSA agent enter, and in the empty moment M-21 offered what he could- not a condolence, but a quiet apology for Sangin's death. An inner pain clouded her face at the name, but she cleared it with a visible effort as she mustered a small smile and addressed them.

"Now that I can finally speak with all three of you together, I wanted to thank you. Thank you for helping the KSA when we were at our weakest, and…" She paused to steady her voice, "Thank you for risking your lives to protect Sangin. You barely knew us, couldn't trust us- and I know we didn't trust you- yet you showed up when it counted the most, and nearly gave your lives to protect his. I can never repay that." Silent tears had slipped down her face as she spoke, and she drew a hasty sleeve over her face as she finished. Tao coughed in embarrassment.

"Not a problem. But mostly, this guy here stepped up first, and suffered the most."

"Get that finger out of my face." M-21 warned as a black-tipped finger wagged in his personal space. Tao ignored him.

"He got hurt from the first tackle."

Yeonsu looked directly at him, and he lowered his eyes, ashamed. He didn't deserve the credit Tao was offering- he was the one who failed.

"I heard what happened…thank you." It was all she could get out. Her special words of gratitude for this selfless warrior caught in her throat at the sight of him, wounded more than just physically, shunning her words as though afraid of them. She retreated without another word.


	5. Chapter 5

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Sorry it's kind of a short chapter this week, but there will be more to come!

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 5

Regis was surprised when Takeo sat next to him on the living room couch, and even more so when the modified human turned toward him, looking like he wanted to say something. Takeo rarely spoke to Regis- their usual interaction was limited to battles and the occasional RK-5 meetings out on the balcony, which Tao usually dominated. Even M-21 spoke to the young noble more than Takeo- well, bickered would be a better term for their conversations, which were more small battles of wits and insults that Regis believed M-21 used to prepare himself for real combat. The werewolf was certainly good at riling up an enemy. Takeo looked equally uncomfortable, so to ease the tension Regis thought he would be the inviting host and begin the conversation.

"Well?"

Takeo blinked, put off a little by the straightforwardness of the question.

"'Well' what?"

Regis sighed impatiently. "Well, why are you sitting next to me looking like you are about to confess your first crush?"

"Oh. I just wanted to ask you- has anything seemed off to you lately?"

Regis considered for a moment. "I'm not sure what exactly you are asking. Living here has been different since Frankenstein allowed that KSA agent to stay. I know it's just for a few weeks until the KSA can put itself back together again, but it's unsettling to have another woman other than Sierra wandering around."

Takeo nodded. "Is Sierra bothered by it?"

"Not that I know of… No, I don't think she is. She seems perfectly happy, other than being worried about her RK-5 mask. I would say Frankenstein seems a little fussier than usual, but at least Mr. Raizel seems no different." They had all been worried after learning of the Noblesse's shortening of life each time he used his powers.

"You're right- I think they are all fine, even after what happened with the twelfth elder."

"Then what? Are you worried about the other two? I haven't heard Tao much lately- something remarkable in itself."

"Tao has been busy monitoring the Union's search for Yeonsu, and making sure they don't find us. It's M-21 I'm concerned about."

Regis turned thoughtful. "I suppose he has seemed more withdrawn lately, even now that he is back to his normal activities. He hasn't argued with me once since the battle. Although that's hard for me to gauge- he is always distanced at the school, and here in the evenings he is usually back doing dishes after dinner."

"I know- but I am with him at work and doing the cleanup, and before he was always happy, even when he was quiet. He enjoyed protecting the students and listening to Rai and Tao playing with the kids. Lately he's been distracted, though. Agitated. Even kind of depressed."

"And you don't know why?"

Takeo shook his head.

"Well, we could wait to see if the mood will pass. It might just be after-battle blues. We could talk to him; well, that would mean _you_ could talk to him- I don't think he likes me that much."

But at Regis's suggestion Takeo quickly shook his head.

"You're right. You are far too shy to ask him anything personal. I suppose we could let Frankenstein know- he might be able to get to the bottom of this."

"That could work." Takeo agreed, and stood up. "Thank you."

Regis just nodded his head regally, and sat back. He really was too generous to these modified humans.


	6. Chapter 6

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Sorry it's kind of a short chapter this week, but there will be more to come!

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 6

It was late as Yeonsu crept back to her room. She still couldn't stay too long in the living room with the children, so happy and loud and alive. Even though some time had passed, she still preferred to dwell in her misery, sitting alone outside, calling up an image of her late husband's face and dissolving it in tears. The Chairman's generosity was outstanding, but she found herself avoiding most of the house's other tenants, and she was grateful when they would all leave for the day. Tonight she had stayed outside longer than usual- when she wandered back in she found the cleanup almost finished and Regis and Sierra retiring to their rooms. A little remorseful at having ignored her hosts and their company again, it was with surprise she heard raised voices in the hallway ahead. It was the Chairman, and he didn't sound pleased.

"Haven't you been sulking enough? You have had a temper since we met you, but this attitude is getting out of hand. I don't like these bad moods brewing under my roof where Master lives. You had better get it out of your system."

The next voice when it came was M-21's; Yeonsu couldn't place it at first, because she had heard him speak so rarely. His voice was quiet.

"I'm trying. I just can't seem to stop thinking about it- everything I should have done. Replaying every minute, every damn mistake, and no matter how many times I go over it, I still fail. He still dies."

Yeonsu caught her breath- they were talking about the battle. About Sangin.

"You have made mistakes before, M-21."

"And I always will, won't I? I made a mistake with the infectee, with Jake and Marie, with Rael. And yet I always live past those, to remember them, and it's someone else who pays the price! _M-24 is dead!_ The kids and Regis almost died too! And now Sangin is gone because of me! Who else has to die before you see how dangerous I am? How worthless?"

"Must I remind you- _again_ \- how much I dislike it when you call yourself worthless?" The Chairman acidly replied. "I may not have created you, but I have put in enough time and work to find such comments insulting, to say the least. Calling yourself a failure reflects badly on me."

M-21 didn't reply, and in a moment footsteps could be heard fading from the hallway. Yeonsu turned the corner to find the Chairman standing alone and clearly ruffled. She approached, and he turned toward her with a smile.

"Ah, there you are. You were missed at dinner."

"Sorry." She felt the strangest need to stand up for M-21- somehow she understood what he had just been saying- but she wasn't sure how to begin. She decided to jump right in.

"I overheard your conversation just now; I don't think criticizing M-21 is what he needs right now."

The Chairman's irritation returned. "Well, it's worked well enough in the past to keep him in line. Believe it or not this is not his first tantrum. And no matter how I improve his power, it's always the same complaint. How can he think of himself as worthless when he has grown so powerful?"

"I don't think it's his powers he doubts."

"Then what?"

"He doubts himself."

"How is that any different?"

Yeonsu quieted a moment, trying to phrase it right so the Chairman would understand.

"He feels that he is not worthy of his powers, like they are wasted on him." She knew that feeling from experience. "It's not the wolf he doubts, but the man inside the wolf."


	7. Chapter 7

The Man Inside the Wolf

A Noblesse Fanfiction

What if M-21 couldn't save Sangin?

Thank you for everyone who has read this far, I hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have! This is the final installment of this story, but I may write another fic parallel to the events in this one. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: As much as I love these beautiful characters, I do not own them!

Chapter 7

Yeonsu found M-21 alone on the balcony, sitting cross-legged and staring up at the huge full moon that clogged the sky and drenched them in sliver light. She had never seen him look so vulnerable. He must have heard her approach, but he made no move to acknowledge her presence, even when she sat down a short distance from him. A light breeze gently brushed back his silver hair, and she could suddenly see most of his face- she could tell by the inner pain gleaming in his eyes that the mark slashing his mouth wasn't his only scar. She had heard his story from Tao- this man didn't need any more pain than he had already been dealt. She had to fix this. But Yeonsu was ever graceless in the art of conversation, and she had always left the sweet-talking to Sangin. But she was on her own now, and she decided to just say what she had to.

"I'm sorry."

M-21 tilted his head towards her, and though he didn't turn around, she could see his mild surprise at her words.

"Why?" His voice was so quiet, so different from what she had heard in the hall a little while ago.

"I've been so wrapped up in my grief, I haven't really noticed anyone or anything."

"I think that's your right."

"Maybe," Yeonsu paused before continuing. "But not at the expense of others. If I'd been paying attention, I could have talked to you sooner."

"About what?"

"It wasn't your fault."

M-21 turned away from her; he had heard those words from the other RK-5 members so many times they had begun to lose meaning. Yeonsu could see she was losing her chance, and tried again.

"I didn't know you blamed yourself for what happened. The truth is, I still don't know why."

"It was my job to protect him, and I failed."

"No," Yeonsu corrected, "It was your _choice_ to protect him. You had no obligation to help us, yet you did anyway."

"And I failed."

Yeonsu fell silent. Her next words came with difficulty, after several minutes of summoning the courage to speak them aloud.

"I…I know what happened. After everything, I talked to Takeo, Tao, everyone, piecing together the chain of events and trying to figure out what I could have done differently, how I could have saved him. Part of me didn't want to know, as if I could live with the grief but not with the guilt of knowing I could have prevented it." M-21 turned back toward her just a little, understanding in the lowering of his head. He had been through that process too.

"But the truth is it was out of my hands- it was out of all our hands- because…" She choked a little saying his name, "because Sangin made his choice as well. He didn't follow your orders to save himself," She let out a soft laugh through the tears streaming down her face, "something I would have done. He hated taking orders as much as I did, but he was always the sensible one, the levelheaded one. But this time… he chose to stay. He gave his life to save yours, just as you were ready to do for him. That doesn't mean you failed- it means events were out of your control. You made your choice, and Sangin made his."

The balcony fell silent once more as M-21 absorbed Yeonsu's words. Finally, he lifted his head.

"Thank you."

He still had a lot of healing to do, she realized, but it seemed his eyes were a little more at peace than before. But he didn't owe her anything.

"No…I never really got to thank you properly. You did so much, suffered so much, for Sangin's sake. And since then you've been suffering for mine." She stood on her knees and leaned closer, laying a gentle kiss on his scar. "Thank you." M-21's eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly in surprise- such an innocent look. Yeonsu felt another pang as she realized this was the first kiss he could remember, the first since awakening as an experiment. Had no one showed him intimacy in all that time? How lonely he must have been. Yeonsu leaned back and crossed her legs once more, and they sat still like that for a long time.


End file.
